Reinventing Project-Based Learning: Your Field Guide to Real-World Projects in the Digital Age

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people contributed

10

the development of Ihis book.

Vie are indebted La [he many outstanding educ810rs from around the world who have invited our questions and shared their best practices for 21st-century learning. The globnl educational community is enriched by t heir experiences.

In particular, we wish

to

thank Anne Davis and Vicki Davis, IWO pioneering teachers from

Georgia: David Fagg from Australia; international educator Julie Lindsay; Kathy Cassidy,

Robert Griffin, and Jeff Whipple from Canada; Pasi lVIi/Hila from Finland; Cecilia JVlagisa Esloque from the Philippines; Linda Hartley from the United Kingdom: Elise Mueller from Washington; Jerome Burg and Esther Wojcicki, both California leachers and members of the Google Teacher Academy: and Adam Kinory of the School of the Future in New York. Thanks. too, to Chris Walsh at West Ed and the Google Teacher Academy. Several schools opened their doors for site visits and extended interviews. Thanks to Monica Tipton, Carmel Crane. and i'vlichacl McDowell from New Technology High School. and Paul Curtis with the New Technology Foundation in Napa. California. Thanks. also, to Kay Graham. prinCipal of the School of IDEAS in Eugene, Oregon, and her teaching colleagues who Willingly shared their time. especially Anne I lubbird and Stuart Whitcomb. In our search for exceptional teachers designing pioneering projects, we were assisted by David Walddon and Kristen Weatherby from the Microsoft Partners in Learning program, host of the \Vorldwide Innovative Teachers Forum. Thanks to llibry LaMonte at lSTE who connected us with outstanding teams that were recipients of the Hewlell Packard Technology for Teaching Grants. Mall Dozier of Lhe EAST' Initiative prOVided valuable in format ion about the history and focus of this prom isi ng model for 21st-cent ury learning. Thank you Lo Glen Bull and his colleagues at the University of Virginia for a stimulaLing exchange that shaped the concept ual izat ion of "essent ial learn ing fu nct ions" very early on. Thanks, Tim Lauer, principal and technology wizard, for thoughtful and timely advice. David Barr, thank you for shedding light on the ISTE technology standards development process as it unfolded.

Reinn:nting Project-Based Learning

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Special Lhanks to Leslie Conery at ISTE for her unflagging encouragement, and to Steve BUrl, Lechnology seouL and veteran educator. who shared his considerable experLise abouL emerging technologies and their potentia! for the classroom. Thanks to Will Richardson, edublogger extrilordinaire, for his encouraging words. Finally, we thank our families for their palience and support as we dove deeply into this project.

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Reim'enting Project-Based Learning

tkknowlcdgmems

Special Lhanks to Leslie Conery at ISTE for her unflagging encouragement, and to Steve BUrl, Lechnology seouL and veteran educator. who shared his considerable experLise abouL emerging technologies and their potentia! for the classroom. Thanks to Will Richardson, edublogger extrilordinaire, for his encouraging words. Finally, we thank our families for their palience and support as we dove deeply into this project.

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Reim'enting Project-Based Learning

FOREWORD At last. a book lhat pulls together the seemingly unconnected concepts, trends, and SlnHegies facing lodny's educators. The ideas contained in Heil/Felltillg Project-Based Leamillg: YOllr Field CHide 10 Heal-World Projects ill/he Digital Age are big ideas, important ideas, transformativc ideas. The gift of Jane Krauss and Suzie Boss is that Ihey take these big ideas and guide liS through them, making them come alive for the classroom. In rending this field guide, I thought about the many projects currently underway al ISTE and how this book so \,jvidly illuminates the link between theory and practice. For instance, ISTE recently revised the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for students in response to shifts in the learning landscape. \'\'e put new emphasis on students developing the skills and knowledge needed for success in today's digital world. The spotlight has moved off the technology, and yet technology is ever-present in the standards-just as it is in the world the reader will explore with this gUidebook.

As we move awar from a primary focus on the technology to acquiring skills and knowledge using technologr, critics may say, "You don't need technology to develop communication skills or many of the other skills now emphasi~ed in the NETS. The standards are no longer about technology.'" They are right. At least, Lhey are right Lo a poin\. The standards are about learning and about how technology resources and tools support and enable that learning. Similarly, it's possible Lo carry out a learning project without technology. Project-based learning and dewloping creativity, innovation, research and information fluency, communication and collaboration skills, and many of the other important abilities found in the NETS standards can be accomplished in school devoid of information and communication technology. But what a richer. more authentic landscape it is when students h,we access to resources, tools, strategies, and concerns found outside the classroom walls. In example after example. this book shows us the world of possibilities awaiting our students. Like any good field guide. this book leads the reader all an adventure full of discoveries and inSights. It also tells us what to look for so we'll know it when we see it. And it helps us meet other travelers on the same journey. Teachers around the glohe share their wisdom and experiences in this book, bringing teaching and learning to life. recentlr read a blogger's musings: "\,,then it feels like you are doing everything rourself, it's nice to be able to feel like you are not really alone in your quest." With this publication, Boss and Krauss proVide a gUidebook to that place where so manr elements of real·world J

Reinn:nting Project-Based Learning

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learning come togeLher. We're not alone on our learning quest. As you read this book, hope you heed the nuthors' advice to bring your colleagues into the conversation, Enjoy the learning ndvenlure nhead, You'll meeL wonderful people, explore new Lerrain, and remember that as with nll true advenLures, the learning and success are in the journey as much as ill reach ing the desl inal ion,

-Leslie S, Conery, Ph,D, Deputy CEO, International SocielY for Technology in Education

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Reim'enting Project-Based Learning

Section I Anticipation \Vha! arc your expectations as you consider teaching with authentic, technology-rich projects? As you set OUI on this ]carningjourtlcy. consider what motivates you to try new classroom methods and incorporate technology in new ways. \Vho will " remember that you are creating new traditions for your students. Years from now, what do you hope they will remember about the learning experiences Ihey shared with you?

WHAT'S NEXT? Now that you have established your readiness for this reinvented project approach, it's time to think about who will be taking this journey with you. The next chapter focuses all working with colleagues and harnessing the benefits of professional learning communities.

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This ~i\C is an cXfll'rimrn1 in Irachinll" greal tilcralUrr in a vrl)' dincrrm WilY. Using Googlr Eanh. e O,om asset map from Chapter 4 to recall whm resources are available to students (such as hardware, soft ware, and technical support). Hefer to the Essential Learn ing Functions of Digital Tools (appendix t\) and NETS-S (appendix B). Identify the learning funcLions (such as bringing people together. deeper learning with primary sources or data. and reflection and iteration) that are importanL for Lhis project. Ask yourself: What /0015 are best for the job? Imagine these tools in students' hands, W/'tI/ do stlldellts already

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colleagues and talk about the learning activities you have in mind to help students reach the "big ideas" you want to reach with this project. A mix of approaches is likely to be in order.

Set Up a Technology Playground \Vatch a young person use a new device, sa>, a cell phone or ]'vIP3 player. \Vhat do they do? Find the "on" bUllon and start figuring it ou\. Before leaping in to teach about a technolog>" consider how >'OU might set up opportunities for students to learn by and among themselves. Learning to use a technology or an application for a project can be a rich problem-solving experience in itself, certainly of the 21st-century skill variety. Set up a technolog>, playground where students can explore. Encourage students to teach each other. \Vatch to see where your help is needed-where a brief demonstration or a more technical lesson may be in order. At Timber Drive Elementary School in North Carolina, teachers developed a rich heritage project that had students making sense of hidden "artifacts" and landforms at a local park using CPS devices, pedometers, and other tools. Before their trip, students learned to use the technology though a treasure hunt on school grounds. In addition. teachers hosted an evening event for parents, so they, too. could learn. Parents helping with the field trip weren't just chaperones, but teacher-guides as well. An unexpected result was the increase in parent involvement at the school. Many parents had never set foot in the school until they showed up for technology training. Some even took up geocaching as a new family hobby.

Tap Student Expertise Let technically able students teach others. Set up computer stations, each with one tool students will use in the project, perhaps an online database at one station. presentation software on another, and a shared wiki on another. Do a practice run with student trainers to make sure they can teach important functions. Ilelp them find tutorials and demonstrations they might use. \Vhen everyone is ready, have small groups rotate from station to station as the student trainers demonstrate how to use the tools. )\llake the stations available for a day or Iwo so students can explore and practice. Before students begin work on their projects, discuss the purpose of each tool and set expectations for its use.

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Rej,wenting Project-Basell Learning

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Chapter 6

Adam Kinory regularly uses audio and video applications to teach humanities at the School of the Future in New York. He says his students have become so familiar with technology outside of school that they naturally turn to one another if they have questions reg;oF ::..::-_

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By carly 2007, thc numbcr of bullctin board photos had grown 10 morc than 900, submittcd by 100 members of the Classroom Displays group. 1\lost images are tagged. which facilitates scarching. Hartley explains: "What we are starting to see is a sort of visual conversation. People are borrowing ideas. refining them. and then posting their own version, sometimes with a verbal nod back to the original." In a recent 1'011 on the blog about the purpose of classroom displays, the most popular answer was. ''To give children a sense of pride in their work."

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Section IV

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I::..panding Your Circle

CElEBRATE! Show student work, put on an event. create a blog. or hold a party. Any way you do it, celebrate learning,. and build your school's identity as a place where kids get to learn through projects.

DISPLAY STUDENT WORK Classroom displays are a common way to share projects with others. \Vhat better way to give students a sense of pride in their work? Dioramas, a fully transformed classroom, or a classroom exhibit displayed at the public library arc a few ways to show off learning. To gel ideas for interesting ways to display student work. dew the photographs in the Classroom Displays photo sharing group on Flickr (www.flickr.com/groups/classrmdisplays). and think about how your local displays can "travel" via the \Veb for others to enjoy.

YEAR-IN-REVIEW RETROSPECTIVE TO CELEBRATE LEARNING Imagine a year of projects. Maybe not projects all the time, but several of them over the year. \Vhen the school year comes to and end. hold a retrospective "Year in Review" event. Show a calendar of the year and remind students of the projects they did month by month. Encourage students to recall their project experiences. Then, assign students the task of each contributing one idea, big or small, that somehow exemplifies the year's experiences, It might be a funny sketch capturing a moment of madness in a project, a dramatic reading of an e-mail from a remote collaborator, a piece of artwork, an accolade from the principal, anything. YOLI documented project work throughout the year, taking photos. collecting artifacts, and more. Make these available to students to work with. Have a wonderful time celebrating your year this way. It's more Illeaningfulthan a typical class pany and just as joyful-and it's one last chance to anchor memories in students' minds. You will learn a 101 right here about what students remember and value, too, which will be useful as you plan for the next >'ear!

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Cclcbraling,md HCnCClin!o(

•

Chapter 10

Your Turn Plan a Celebration A celebration can be big or small. and you will likely scale it to the size. durmion. and rigor of the project, But let's think big. Imagine your class accomplished something extraordinary. Ha\'e a big celebration! As any event planner can tell you, celebrations are projects! Let students take charge of the event. You might set parameters for the scale of the celebration (no elephants), but otherwise, let students plan the theme, guest list, invitations, decorations, presentations. awards, games, and extras like food, as well as budget for the event. t\lake sure any celebration, big or small. includes the following: • an opportunity to look back one more time • acknowledgment of how hard work ilnd commitment contributed to the success of the project and a culture of excellence at your school • appreciation for those who helped (you invited critical friends, yes?) • a display of the learning, including both student creations (low tech and digital) and presentations • a look inside the learners with opportunities for them talk about their processes and growth • an opportunity to showcase projects to colleagues, administ ralOrs. parents, and others in your larger learning community Don't forget, though. that a celebration shouldn't be all seriousness. To ensure thaL everyone has fun. you could have students create and present their own categories and medals for awards-the sillier the better. Or. try a themed party. For example, if you'vejusL finished a study of an ancient civilization, dress, decorate. and eat accordingly. You could hm'e students write thematic haikus, limericks, or free-verse for a poetry slam, or playa game such as a Brain Bowl. in which students are pitted against parents in a project-related competition that parents are bound to lose. Another idea is to invite a J\lystery Guest (even if it's you in disguise).

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Section V Unpacking Your students may have completed their project work, but your own learning continues. Take time to reflect on what you hmre gained from this project. Find ways to share your Insights with col1engues. Make the most of your project experience by bUilding these inSights into your nexl project deSign.

CHAPTER 11

Bringing It Home

By the time a successful project comes to an end, you and your students will feel as if you have "been somewhere" together. LIke all good journeys. your project should leave you with vivid memories. souvenirs and artifacts you have collected along the way, and plenty of ideas for shaping your next learning adventure. Good projects don't lead to a dead end. Instead, they open new doors and create cOllnections thal you can build into future project deSigns. vVhen Anne Davis (2007) reflects on

her several years of blagging with elementary students, she can see how each distinctive project "clicks and links to the nexi one." High schoolteacher Michael McDowell makes a point 10 build time for student reflection into Ihe end of each project, nol only for his students' benefit, bUI also to help him with future planning. "At end of a project, we do a big reflective piece," he says. "I like to have students identify what we could have done better or what ncxt stcps wc might take with this project as wc move on." Elementary teacher Elise Mueller takes time to talk with her colleagues about the pros and cons of a project. "If something didn't work as we planned. we need to learn from that and move on. That will inform my next project and make it even better." she says. You invested heavily at the start of your project to structure the learning experience for your students. Now, invest a litlle more time to reflect on what you have learned. and consider how you might want to share your valuable inSights with others.

CAPITALIZE ON YOUR INVESTMENT Think about thc concrcte planning that helped to make your project successfuL Did you integrate technology in a way lhat made a significant diffcrence for learners? Have you found new ways to organize your classroom or communicate with parents whom you want to incorporate in future project work? Are there "content-free" elements of your project that you can repurpose to help you meet another instructional goal?

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Section V

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Unpacking

Ioternat ionalteacher JuIie Li ndsay snys t he Flat Cbssroom Project hns clwnged her whole appronch in the c1nssroom. "[t had been evolving before," she allows, "but now I look nl what is actually happening within the four walls over the period of time we are contained with a group of students 'ou measure the distance each student travels as a learner?" \,Vhat strategies do you find most effective for addressing and communicating students' individual gains as learners?

Chapter 10: Celebrating and Reflecting This chapter emphasizes student reflection as a valuable step in the learning process. Do you regularly make time for student reflection? How do yOlI make sure reflection is meaningful for your students? Some technology tools-such as blogs or podcasts-are well-suited to capture reflection. Which tools have you encouraged slUdents 10 use for this learning function?

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Appendix C

Chapter 11: Bringing It Home At the oLltset. this book set thc stagc for a Icarningjourncy. How has thc "travcr changcd you? \Vhat ncw ideas will you be taking forward? How will your students benefil from what you have Icarned?

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APPENDIX D

Bibliography

Americ:m Libntry Associiltion. (1989). Presidcfllia! COfllllliltee 011 illfanl/tltion iiteracy: Filial report. Hetrieved July 22, 2007. from www.ala.org/ala/acrl/:u.:r1pubs/whilcpapers/presidenlii11 .hlm

Anderson, L. \V, & Kral h\\'ohl, D. R. (Eds.), (2001). A taxolIOllly for lean/iI/g. rcae/lil/g, alld assessillg: A revisioll of Bloout's /aXOIIOIIIY of cducatiOl/(/1 objeclil'cs. New York: Longman. Bill & I\lelinda Gales Foundation. (2005). High SCllOohfor tile lieu' millcl/lliulII: III/agine tile possilJilities. R.etrieved July 22. 2007. from www.g:ncsfound:Jtion.org!UnitedStates/Education/ T fa n sforrni ngH ighSchoolsl Black, P" & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the bl for illlprorifig educatioll ill tile classroom. New York: The Free Press.

Stites, R. (]998). "Evaluation of Project·Based Learning." Tile lIIultimedia project: Project·based leafllillg witll IIwllimedid. Redwood City, CA: San i'vlateo County Office of Education. Ret rieved rrom http://pblmm.kI2.ca.us/PBLGuide/pblresch.htm Thomas, J.\\I. (2000). A review of research 011 IJroject.lmsed leamillg. San Babel, CA Autodesk Fou ndation. Bel rieved from www.bobpearlt1l:ln.orglBestPr:lctices/PBL_Research.pdf

\Va rlick, D. (2004). Redefillillg litemc)' for tile 21st cefllury. Wort hington, 0 H: Li n\\'ort h.

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